Intracranial complications of acute mastoiditis: Surgery not always necessary.

INTRODUCTION: Acute mastoiditis (AM) can rapidly become life-threatening with various intracranial complications. The standard care includes antibiotics, mastoidectomy, and drainage. Reports show varying preferences for conservative and surgical treatments, with a more conservative approach gaining popularity. In this study we aim to evaluate the presenting symptoms, management and outcomes of patients presenting with intracranial complications secondary to acute mastoiditis. METHODS: Retrospective review for all children admitted for acute mastoiditis for 12 years period (January 2010-December 2021). Children who had mastoiditis associated with intracranial complications were included in the study. STROBE guidelines were followed in this study. RESULTS: 23 patients were diagnosed with acute mastoiditis with intracranial complications. The mean age was 2.1 years. The most common presenting sign was fever, followed by otalgia. The most common pathogens were Fusobacterium necrophorum and Streptococcus pneumoniae. The most common intracranial complication was sinus vein thrombosis (SVT) affecting 13 patients. Eventually, 10 patients underwent cortical mastoidectomy during 1-6 days upon admission, with an average of 3.2 days. During the follow-up period patients were monitored for clinical progression. Patients who did not show clinical improvement such as persistent fever, worsening symptoms, or the presence of neurological symptoms were treated surgically. The length of stay was an average of 15.5 days overall, with no significantly longer hospital stay in patients who were treated surgically compared to patients who were treated conservatively (17.1 days vs. 14.2 days, P = .26). CONCLUSION: Intracranial complications of acute mastoiditis remain a significant challenge. Selected patients with intracranial complications can be treated conservatively with close monitoring, without increasing the risk of immediate or long-term complications. Initial antimicrobial treatment should cover anaerobic bacteria, as it correlates with severe complications.

Assessment of Early Stage Glottic Cancer Depth of Resection After Transoral Laser Cordectomy.

OBJECTIVE: Surgeons generally determine depth of resection during transoral laser cordectomy by visual inspection of the surgical field. Our aim was to examine the correlation between early glottic cancer depth of resection as reported by surgeons in the operation report and depth of resection defined by pathology specimens, using various staining techniques intended to differentiate between the distinct vocal fold layers based on particular collagen deposition. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: A voice and swallowing clinic at a tertiary referral hospital. METHODS: We compared depth of cordectomy assessed intraoperatively by surgeons and by pathologists using Picrosirius red stain and collagen I immunohistochemistry stain in 32 patients who underwent transoral laser cordectomy for early glottic cancer. RESULTS: For type I, II, and III cordectomy, the respective proportions of patients were 14 (47%), 9 (30%), and 7 (23%) according to surgeons' estimations; 2 (6%), 17 (55%), and 12 (39%) according to Picrosirius red stain; and 3 (11%), 12 (44%), and 12 (45%) according to immunohistochemistry for collagen I. CONCLUSION: Surgeons' reported depth of resection did not correlate with depth of resection established by either staining technique. Determining depth of resection necessitates special stains, which should help in the clinical assessment of cordectomy type.

The role of voice rest after micro-laryngeal surgery for benign vocal fold lesions.

PURPOSE: To compare post-operative vocal outcomes of a voice rest regimen versus no voice restrictions following micro-laryngeal surgery for benign glottic lesions. METHODS: This was a combined prospective and retrospective cohort study on 167 patients who underwent micro-laryngeal surgery for benign focal fold lesion removal. Participants were divided into two regimens: standard voice rest (n = 92) or no voice restriction (n = 75). The primary outcome was post-operative vocal improvement, evaluated using voice handicap index questionnaire (VHI-10), GRBAS scale, and computerised acoustic analysis (shimmer, jitter, and the harmonic-to-noise ratio). The secondary outcome was emergence of vocal fold mucosal abnormalities in the immediate post-operative period. Parameters were collected at baseline and at the last clinical visit. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference between the voice rest and no-voice rest groups regarding baseline parameters of age, gender, laryngeal pathology, and voice use. Improvement in GRBAS scale values and VHI-10 scores between pre- and post-operative periods between groups did not demonstrate any statistically significant differences (P = 0.5303 and P = 0.1457, respectively). Similarly, the results of computerized voice analysis also showed no differences between groups in terms of shimmer (P = 0.9590), jitter (P = 0.5692), and harmonic-to-noise ratio (P = 0.1871). No correlation was found between the post-operative vocal fold's mucosal abnormalities and the type of voice rest regimen. CONCLUSION: Voice quality and wound healing were similar regardless of the type of voice rest regimen applied. No voice rest at all was as good as voice rest after micro-laryngeal surgery.

Efficacy of posttreatment radioiodine scanning in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer.

BACKGROUND: Differentiated thyroid cancers often require radioiodine treatment followed by posttreatment scan. We aimed in this study to assess the utility of the posttreatment radioiodine scan in this population. METHODS: An analysis of patients who received radioiodine treatment at Rambam Campus, during 2006-2013. Scans showing remnant normal thyroid tissue were considered as normal. Positive uptake was defined as uptake in the lateral neck or distant sites. RESULTS: A total of 455 patients were analyzed, 68% had T1-T2 and 28% had positive lymph nodes. Positive uptake in the lateral neck was recorded in 52 (11.4%) and in distant sites in 41 (9%) patients. Tracheal invasion, esophageal invasion, nerve invasion, and N1b classification were associated with a positive scan (P < .05). A positive radioactive iodine scan was not related to poor prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: Posttreatment scans are positive in only 20% of patients. Locally invasive tumor and positive nodes are associated with positive scans.

Predicting glottal closure insufficiency using fundamental frequency contour analysis.

BACKGROUND: Voice analysis has a limited role in a day-to-day voice clinic. We developed objective measurements of vocal folds (VF) glottal closure insufficiency (GCI) during phonation. METHODS: We examined 18 subjects with no history of voice impairment and 20 patients with unilateral VF paralysis before and after injection medialization laryngoplasty. Voice analysis was extracted. We measured settling time, slope, and area under the fundamental frequency curve from the phonation onset to its settling-time. RESULTS: The measured parameters, settling time, slope, and area under the curve were in correlation with the traditional acoustic voice assessments and clinical findings before treatment and after injection medialization laryngoplasty. CONCLUSION: We found that the fundamental frequency curve has several typical contours which correspond to different glottal closure conditions. We proposed a new set of parameters that captures the contour type, and showed that they could be used to quantitatively assess individuals with GCI.

Long-term swallowing performance following transoral robotic surgery for obstructive sleep apnea.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: This study aimed to evaluate the long-term swallowing performance following transoral robotic surgery (TORS) to the base of tongue (BOT) in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective and prospective cohort study. METHODS: Data analysis of 39 patients who underwent BOT reduction via TORS to treat OSA at our center from September 2013 to April 2016. Long-term swallowing functions were assessed using subjective self-evaluated swallowing disturbances questionnaire (SDQ) and objective fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES). RESULTS: Seven patients underwent TORS BOT reduction alone, whereas 32 had also uvulopalatoplasty ± tonsillectomy, with a surgical success rate of 71.4%. Mean time for swallowing evaluation was 27.4 ± 9.43 months. Twenty-five patients completed the SDQ with an average score of 9.26 ± 10.05. In 32%, the SDQ was positive for dysphagia. In 10 out of 14 patients who underwent FEES, swallowing problems were noticed. The most common pathological findings were food residue in the vallecula followed by early spillage of food into the hypopharynx, penetration of solid food and liquid on the vocal folds surface, and aspiration. CONCLUSIONS: BOT reduction via TORS has a negative effect on long-term swallowing function. A self-assessment questionnaire can help detect patients who suffer from swallowing impairment. Postoperative objective swallowing tests are essential not only in the immediate postoperative period but also during late routine follow-up. Proper patient selection and detailed information about surgery and possible late-swallowing effect are important factors before scheduling BOT reduction via TORS for OSA treatment. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 Laryngoscope, 129:422-428, 2019.

Facial vein thrombophlebitis: A case report and literature review.

Septic thrombophlebitis of the facial vein (STFN) commonly presents with facial erythema, tenderness, and swelling above the involved vessel. Due to its rarity, diagnosis and treatment remain a challenge. Lemierre syndrome (LS), which consists of a triad of internal jugular vein thrombophlebitis, septicemia, and distant septic emboli, is a more common entity of which physicians are more familiar. Whether tonsillitis-related STFN is actually LS in a different anatomical area and shares the same characteristics is still left to be answered. We present a case of STFN with a review of all cases reported in the literature.

Warthin tumor of the larynx: A case report and review of the literature.

Warthin tumor (papillary cystadenoma lymphomatosum) is a benign salivary gland tumor that occurs almost exclusively in the parotid gland. As far as we know, only 15 cases of laryngeal Warthin tumor have been previously reported worldwide. We describe the case of a 75-year-old woman with a supraglottic tumor that mimicked a mucoepidermoid carcinoma. The tumor was completely excised via a transcervical approach. Pathology identified it as a Warthin tumor. At follow-up, the patient maintained good oral intake. Computed tomography 3 months postoperatively confirmed complete tumor resection and detected no evidence of residual disease or recurrence. We also discuss our review of the literature on benign laryngeal salivary gland tumors, which included an analysis of 112 cases. The most common tumors were oncocytic cystadenomas (n = 65), pleomorphic adenomas (n = 28), and Warthin tumors (n = 15); we also found 2 cases each of basal cell adenomas and myoepitheliomas. The most common single tumor site was the glottis (n = 25), followed by the supraglottis (n = 24), and the subglottis (n = 22); 5 cases occurred in multiple sites, and the specific site was not reported in 36 cases. Benign laryngeal neoplasms of salivary gland origin should be carefully evaluated. Distinguishing these tumors from malignant lesions and establishing the correct diagnosis are crucial for treatment planning. Large lesions with extralaryngeal extension can be resected completely via an open external approach.

Adverse Events and Time to Diagnosis of In-Office Laryngeal Biopsy Procedures.

Objective To examine the adverse events and time to diagnosis of in-office laryngeal biopsy (IOB) procedures. Study Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Outpatient clinic-tertiary referral medical center. Subjects and Methods A total of 390 IOBs were included in this study. Data on demographic characteristics, outcomes, and complications were collected. Complications were classified as severe-necessitating further intervention or admission-or mild and self-limited. Delay in diagnosis, assessed as a complication of IOB, was calculated as the time from initial examination to final diagnosis. Results Of 390 IOBs, 4 (1%) had complications: epistaxis (n = 2), vocal fold hematoma (n = 1), and aspiration event (n = 1). There were no reports of complications at follow-up. The sensitivity of IOB versus direct laryngoscopy biopsies was 77.8%, and the specificity was 95.1%. When the IOB showed malignancy as a final diagnosis, time to diagnosis was 10.7 days (95% CI, 8.6-12.8). When IOB pathology results changed from benign or carcinoma in situ to malignant (squamous cell carcinoma) by direct laryngoscopy, time to diagnosis was longer: 49.1 days (95% CI, 38.1-60.1) and 36.1 days (95% CI, 15.1-57.1; P < .05), respectively. Conclusions In this cohort, IOBs appear to be free of significant adverse events. IOBs for suspicious laryngeal lesions shorten the time to diagnosis and treatment for the majority of patients; the minority showed a small and insignificant delay.

Unilateral Vocal Cord Paralysis of a Great Jewish Opera Singer.

George London was one of the most compelling vocal artists of the early twentieth century. At the age of 47, the great bass-baritone retired from singing. It has been suggested that the premature ending of his operatic career was due to unilateral vocal cord palsy (UVCP). When London retired, the common belief was that this UVCP was caused by viral hepatitis, although there is no evidence to support such an etiology. London's medical records eliminate the possible etiology of a neck neoplasm, and the long period of time between a heart attack he experienced and his diagnosis of UVCP makes a cardiovascular etiology an unlikely causative factor. London's relatively young age, the diagnosis of laryngitis prior to his UVCP, and the course of his disease indicate that the underlying cause of the termination of his singing career was post-viral neuropathy. This paper describes the clinical evidence related to London's vocal cord function and explores the possible causes for his UVCP, which apparently led to his early retirement.

Improving the rate of negative margins after surgery for oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma: A prospective randomized controlled study.

BACKGROUND: A positive margin is among the most significant factors that affects the outcome in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The purpose of this study was to compare the negative margin rates between 2 methods of intraoperative margin assessment in patients with oral cavity SCC. METHODS: A prospective, randomized controlled trial comparing 2 methods of intraoperative margin assessment: specimen-driven margins and patient-driven margins. RESULTS: The final analysis included 71 patients, 20 (29%) in the patient-driven margin arm. Frozen section analysis revealed positive/close surgical margins that led to an extension of the surgical resection in 22 of 51 patients (43%) in the specimen-driven margin arm, and 2 of 20 patients (10%) in the patient-driven margin arm (p = .01). After final pathological analysis, the wide negative margin rate was 84% in the specimen-driven margin arm, compared to 55% in the patient-driven margin arm (p = .02). Extension of the surgical resection prevented escalation of adjuvant treatment in 19 patients (38%) in the specimen-driven margin arm and 10% in the patient-driven margin arm. CONCLUSION: Specimen derived margin assessment led to significant improvement in the rate of negative margins. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E1803-E1809, 2016.

[IN-OFFICE VOCAL CORD INJECTION FOR TREATMENT OF DYSPHONIA].

INTRODUCTION: Dysphonia significantly damages quality of life and employment opportunities. One of the common causes of hoarseness is glottic insufficiency, namely the lack of full adherence of the vocal cords during speech and swallowing. Correction is achieved by vocal cord medialization. OBJECTIVES: To examine the effect of vocal cord injection with carboxymethyl cellulose and hydroxyapatite under local anesthesia in the office, on the voice objectively, assessment by staff and patient satisfaction. METHODS: This prospective and retrospective study included 38 vocal cord injections: 30 involved carboxymethyl cellulose injections, and 8 were injected with hydroxyapatite. Objective and subjective parameters were collected before the injection and 1-2 weeks after the injection. RESULTS: Average subjective disturbance of the voice decreased from 5.9 to 4.1 post-injection (p<0.01). Average Voice Handicap Index (VHI) decreased from 75.3 to 39.1 (p<0.01) and average Glottic Function Index (GFI) decreased from 15.7 to 9.5 (p<0.01). Average GRABS decreased from 11.9 to 6 (p<0.01) and average visual analogue scale decreased from 4 to 2.5 (p<0.01). Average Maximal Phonation Time increased from 6.9 to 9 sec (p=0.1). Average S/Z ratio decreased from 1.8 to 1.3 (p=0.1). Voice analysis showed average jitter decreased from 2.4% to 0.8% (p<0.01) and average shimmer from 10.9% to 5% (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Vocal cord injection under local anesthesia in the office is a good and safe method for treating glottic insufficiency. Vocal cord injection with carboxymethyl cellulose and hydroxyapatite improves objective and subjective voice properties.

An orthotopic mouse model of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to create a reliable and reproducible orthotopic mouse model of laryngeal malignancy that recapitulates its biologic behavior, local invasiveness, and spread as seen in patients. METHODS: Via direct laryngoscopy, human squamous cell carcinoma line FaDu (ATCC HTB-43) was implanted in the larynx (supraglottis and glottis) in nu/nu mice (n = 31). Animals were monitored with direct laryngoscopy and ultrasound for tumor growth and survival. Specimens of larynxes, neck lymphatics, livers, and lungs were removed for histopathologic evaluation to assess tumor extension, thyroid cartilage invasion, and nodal spread. RESULTS: Thirty-one successful direct laryngoscopies were performed. Supraglottic and glottic tumor uptake was 100% and 25%, respectively. Median survival for the animals with supraglottic tumors was 35 days. Histopathologic evaluation revealed pre-epiglottic extension, paraglottic extension, thyroid cartilage invasion, and lymph node metastasis. CONCLUSION: We describe the first orthotopic model for laryngeal cancer. Our model faithfully recapitulates the phenotype and malignant behavior that reproduces its natural biologic behavior as seen in laryngeal cancer patients. This model offers an opportunity to identify and specifically target therapy for larynx squamous cell carcinoma.

Treatment and Outcome of Patients with Skull Base Chordoma: A Meta-analysis.

Objective Chordoma is a locally aggressive tumor. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of different surgical approaches and adjuvant radiation modalities used to treat these patients. Design Meta-analysis. Main Outcome Measures Overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), and progression-free survival (PFS). Results The 5-year OS and PFS rates of the whole cohort (n = 467) were 86% and 65.7%, respectively. The 5-year DSS for patients who underwent open surgery and endoscopic surgery was 45% and 49%, respectively (p = 0.8); PFS was 94% and 79%, respectively (p = 0.11). The 5-year OS of patients treated with surgery followed by adjuvant radiotherapy was 90% compared with 70% of those treated by surgery alone (p = 0.24). Patients undergoing partial resection without adjuvant radiotherapy had a 5-year OS of 41% and a DSS of 45%, significantly lower than in the total-resection group (p = 0.0002 and p = 0.01, respectively). The complication rates were similar in the open and endoscopic groups. Conclusions Patients undergoing total resection have the best outcome; adjuvant radiation therapy improves the survival of patients undergoing partial resection. In view of the advantages of minimally invasive techniques, endoscopic surgery appears an appropriate surgical approach for this disease.

Defining the outcome of patients with delayed diagnosis of differentiated thyroid cancer.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: In the present study we sought to define the outcome of patients with delay in diagnosis and treatment (>1 year) of well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma (WDTC) due to initial benign cytology (IBC). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective medical record review and analysis of survival outcomes. METHODS: The records of 47 patients with delayed diagnosis of thyroid cancer were reviewed. In 38, surgery was performed for growing nodules and in nine due to malignant cytology during follow-up. Median time to delayed surgery was 52 months (range, 13-205 months). Multivariate analysis was performed to assess variables associated with outcome. RESULTS: Most patients (32/47) underwent total thyroidectomy, whereas 15/47 had hemithyroidectomy. With a median follow-up of 96 months (range, 12-184 months), the 5-year disease-free survival of these patients was 96%. Multivariate analysis showed that the outcome of these patients was not statistically different than that of patients (n = 162) who underwent immediate surgery for similar disease. CONCLUSIONS: We show that patients with delayed diagnosis and treatment for WDTC due to IBC have excellent outcome. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4.

Transnasal Flexible Fiberoptic in-office Laryngeal Biopsies-Our Experience with 117 Patients with Suspicious Lesions.

OBJECTIVE: To compare pathologic results obtained via in-office transnasal fiberoptic laryngoscopy (TFL) to those of subsequent direct laryngoscopy in order to assess the accuracy of TFL as a diagnostic tool. PATIENTS: One hundred and seventeen patients with suspicious laryngeal lesions. METHODS: All patients underwent in-office biopsies. All patients with malignant diagnosis were referred to treatment. All patients with benign diagnosis or carcinoma in situ were referred to direct laryngoscopy for definitive diagnosis. The pathological results of the specimens from both procedures were compared. RESULTS: Adequate tissue for diagnostic purposes was obtained in 110 of 117 in-office transnasal fiberoptic laryngoscopy biopsies (94.0%). The biopsy results revealed invasive carcinoma in 42 patients (38.2%), carcinoma in situ (CIS) in 17 patients (15.4%), and benign lesions in 51 patients (46.4%). All patients with benign pathologies and carcinoma in situ were referred to biopsy under direct laryngoscopy (five patients refused and were removed from the statistics). The final pathologies identified from the biopsies on direct laryngoscopy revealed that there was an underestimation of the transnasal fiberoptic laryngoscopy results in 33 patients (a false negative rate of 31.4%, 33/105) and an overestimation in one patient. The sensitivity of transnasal fiberoptic laryngoscopy biopsy compared with direct laryngoscopy biopsy was 70.6% and the specificity was 96.7%. CONCLUSIONS: TFL with biopsy is easy, safe, and cost-effective but raises serious doubts about its clinical value due to its low sensitivity rate for diagnosing suspicious lesions of the larynx. As such, it is recommended that all patients with a suspicious lesion diagnosed by TFL biopsy as being benign or CIS should be referred to direct laryngoscopy for verification of the findings.

Minimal clinically important differences in quality of life scores of oral cavity and oropharynx cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: The minimal clinically important difference (MCID) is defined as the smallest difference in quality of life (QOL) that patients perceive as beneficial and that mandates a change in management. We aimed to determine the MCID among patients with oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer and to identify domains that are significantly affected during treatment. METHODS: The cohort consisted of 1,011 patients analyzed by a metaanalysis according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. MCID values for the University of Washington Quality of Life Questionnaire (UW-QOLQ) and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC C-30) and Head and Neck-35 questionnaires were calculated by using the distribution-based method. RESULTS: The mean MCID for Global QOL was 13.07 points for the UW-QOLQ and 9.43 in the EORTC C-30 questionnaire. High consistency in the MCID values was found between the two questionnaires examined. Heat map analysis indicated a clinically significant improvement in head and neck-associated domains and in domains associated with general cancer treatment 1 year or more after treatment relative to 3 months after treatment (p < 0.001 and p = 0.016, respectively). In contrast, improvement in general and functional domains was not evident 1 year or more after treatment (p = 0.69). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests benchmark values for MCID and variation in QOL scores of oral and oropharyngeal cancer patients after treatment. Improvement in head and neck- and general cancer-associated domains may not be translated into a general and functional improvement during the first year of recovery.

Outcome of patients undergoing salvage surgery for recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The common treatment of primary patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma is chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Surgery is reserved as salvage procedure for recurrent or persistent disease. Nevertheless, information on the outcome of these patients and the role of adjuvant reirradiation treatment is scarce. METHODS: We conducted a meta-analysis to identify prognostic factors associated with outcomes of patients with recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated by salvage surgery. RESULTS: The study group consisted of 779 patients from 17 published studies who met the inclusion criteria. The primary tumor classification at recurrence was T1-2 in 83 % of patients and T3-4 in 16.6 %. Regional lymph node metastases were present in 88 patients. The 5-year overall survival and local recurrence-free survival rates of the entire cohort were 51.2 and 63.4 %, respectively, with a distant metastases rate of 11.3 %. The 5-year overall survival was 63 % in patients receiving surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy compared to 39 % in patients receiving surgery alone (P = 0.05). Independent predictors of outcome on multivariate analysis were sex, N classification, surgical approach (endoscopic vs. open), adjuvant treatment, and margin status. Both endoscopic surgery and reirradiation were independent predictors of improved survival. CONCLUSIONS: More than half of the patients with recurrent disease can be salvaged by surgery. Margins status, and N and T classification are significant predictors of outcome. Multivariate analysis revealed that endoscopic surgery offers better outcome than open surgery for T3/4 disease in selected patients, and adjuvant reirradiation offers an additional survival advantage over surgery alone.

Management of aphonic patients following total laryngectomy and trachea esophageal puncture.

BACKGROUND: Trachea esophageal puncture (TEP) is performed following total laryngectomy to allow speech and communication. The most common reason for long-term speech failure in this population is hypertonicity of the constrictor muscle. OBJECTIVES: To present our experience with the treatment of aphonic patients after total laryngectomy and TEP and suggest a protocol for treatment. METHODS: Of 50 patients who underwent total laryngectomy and TEP, 6 suffered from aphonia after surgery. All patients underwent radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy. Delay in speech continued for more than 6 months after surgery. The patients received percutaneous lidocaine injection to the neopharynx in different locations around the stoma in order to map the hypertonic segments in the neopharynx. RESULTS: Lidocaine injection immediately enabled free speech in five patients. One patient (patient 6) suffered from aphonia and from severe dysphagia and required a feeding tube. This patient succeeded to pronounce abbreviations after lidocaine injection. Another (patient 4) gained permanent ability to speak following a single lidocaine injection; this patient was not injected with botolinium toxin (BTX). For the other five, lidocaine had a transient effect on speech. These patients received BTX percutaneous injections. After BTX injections four regained free speech within 14 days. The fifth patient (patient 6) gained a conversational voice and his swallowing improved only after additional intensive speech therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Percutaneous lidocaine and BTX injections represent first-line treatment in this population, with good success and minimal complications.